The present invention is directed to drawer, cabinet and shelf organizing systems, and, more particularly, to a system for subdividing horizontal storage shelves and drawers into compartments having vertical braces.
Shelving and drawers are usually designed and manufactured for several purposes, rather than being dedicated to a single purpose. For this reason, it is typically not feasible to provide structure subdividing each shelf into suitable or appropriate compartments for any one particular situation. Shelving and drawers may be provided with integral, permanent partitions for subdividing the shelf, drawer, or equivalent horizontal supporting surface into compartments. However, in most instances, such partitions are either not adjustable, or are arranged to subdivide the shelf into compartments which are excessively small.
One example of shelves which are frequently susceptible to the need for selective partitioning is food storage shelves. Unlike parts storage bins utilized to store numerous types of small fasteners and other small articles, food storage cabinets may be required to store articles of vastly differing dimensions and configurations. Containers may be rectangular, cylindrical, long, short, small, large, etc. Many other types of shelves also require selective partitioning. Food storage shelves are merely one example where such partitioning is desirable.
Organizing, separating and grouping such articles enables ready retrieval of each particular item or type of item. The prior art has suggested various devices for such uses. These prior art devices include various frames that are inserted into drawers or shelves.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,004 (Thalenfeld et al.) teaches a shelf organizing system for dividing flat shelving. An extruded front rail member of an L-shaped configuration is secured to the front of the shelf, providing a vertical barrier wall. A retention channel is formed integrally with the front rail member. Divider elements, extruded in continuous lengths and cut to a desired length for a particular shelf width are formed with a vertical flange and a horizontal stabilizing flange. The stabilizing flange is inserted in the retention channel at any point along its length and is tightly gripped to hold the divider element in any desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,523 (Teringo) is directed to a modular shelf organizer for partitioning a shelf. The organizer includes a plurality of trays, each having a floor and four short upright walls, and a fence for spanning adjacent trays. The fence forms a storage compartment between two trays and prevents stored items from rolling off the shelf. The fence has one or more fence members that have a short wall with slots. Corresponding slots are formed in the right and left walls of the tray. Fence members are attached by friction and gravity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,201 (Breslow) discloses a shelf divider system having a divider wall mountable in a channel member secured to the front of the shelf. A spring-urged pusher member is slidably mounted on a track having a pair of rails integral with the divider shaft.
Italian Patent No. 1,298,650 is directed to a frame for stabilizing a group of containers. The figures of this patent depict two devices for mounting support bars that span between walls of a drawer or shelf system. FIGS. 1–4 of this Italian patent depict an open U-shaped bracket 24 into which the main support bar 14 is lowered at each end of the support bar. It is noted that the device 34 of FIG. 1 does not appear to be related to the function of the bracket 24. FIGS. 6 and 7 depict an entirely different mounting system in which support bars 16 are lowered into U-shaped grooves in side brackets 20.
Another prior art system by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry utilizes a right angle connector adapted to connect cylindrical metal rods at right angles to one another. Two short rods are inserted (by a friction fit) into separate holes on the surface of the shelf such that they each protrude vertically and perpendicular to the shelf. A right angle connector is connected to each short rod, and a relatively long metal rod is horizontally fixed between the two right angle connectors such that a horizontal barrier prevents objects from falling off the shelf. This system requires dedicated fixation to the shelf. Moreover, the horizontal bar is not adjustable. Finally, while the shelf is vertically adjustable, the bar travels with the shelf at a fixed relation.
Another similar system by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry to that described above uses the same right angle connectors that secure metal rods at right angles. The difference between this system and that described previously is the vertical rods are somewhat longer and one or more vertically adjustable horizontal bars attach to the vertical rods below the fixed horizontal bar by the use of sliding connectors. Again, while the shelf is vertically adjustable, the system here travels with the shelf. Here, user access can be restricted if the shelf above the shelf to which this system is mounted is positioned too close to the fixed horizontal bar. Due to the relatively long vertical rods and the fact that the rods are attached to a single shelf, this system may tend to flex laterally at the top, especially when loaded with stored items.
A common prior art system includes one or more u-shaped rods or wires that are pushed into holes on the top of a shelf. This simple system utilizes the bent rods as dividers for various objects such as compact disc packages.
Other prior art systems include molded plastic spacers that are adapted to hold compact discs or similar items. These systems must be custom manufactured to fit in shelf openings or shelf openings must be adjustable to accommodate a stock size of this item. Again, these systems are not adjustable to accommodate different size packages. They also are limited in size and application. Systems such as these are made by, for example, Amerock division of Newell Rubbermaid.
Finally, Hafele Corporation makes plastic audio/video media storage systems that are mounted to the surface of a shelf. These systems are rail system that are nonadjustable and sized to fit, for example, videotapes, compact disk cases and audio cassette tape packaging.
None of the above systems, taken either singly or in combination, describes the instant invention, as claimed. Specifically, all of the prior art systems are limited in size, scope, flexibility and accommodation.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.